FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYBODY about feminism,that this book would be just another passionate 1 voice speaking out on behalf of feminist politics.There should be bill- boards;ads in magazines;ads on buses,subways,trains;television commercials spreading the word,letting the world know more about feminism.We are not there yet.But this is what we must do to share feminism,to let the movement into everyone's mind and heart. Feminist change has already touched all our lives in a positive way. FEMINIST POLITICS And yet we lose sight of the positive when all we hear about femi- nism is negative. Where We Stand When I began to resist male domination,to rebel against patri- archal thinking(and to oppose the strongest patriarchal voice in my Simply put,feminism is a movement to end sexism,sexist exploita- life-my mother's voice),I was still a teenager,suicidal,depressed, tion,and oppression.This was a definition of feminism I offered in uncertain about how I would find meaning in my life and a place for Feminist Theory:From Margin to Center more than 10 yeats ago.It was myself.I needed feminism to give me a foundation of equality and my hope at the time that it would become a common definition justice to stand on.Mama has come around to feminist thinking.She everyone would use.I liked this definition because it did not imply sees me and all her daughters (we are six)living better lives because of that men were the enemy.By naming sexism as the problem it went feminist politics.She sees the promise and hope in feminist move- directly to the heart of the matter.Practically,it is a definition which ment.It is that promise and hope that I want to share with you in implies that all sexist thinking and action is the problem,whether this book,with everybody. those who perpetuate it are female or male,child or adult.It is also Imagine living in a world where there is no domination,where broad enough to include an understanding of systemic institutional- females and males are not alike or even always equal,but where a vi- ized sexism.As a definition it is open-ended.To understand femi- sion of mutuality is the ethos shaping our interaction.Imagine living nism it implies one has to necessarily understand sexism. in a world where we can all be who we are,a world of peace and pos- As all advocates of feminist politics know,most people do not sibility.Feminist revolution alone will not create such a world;we understand sexism,or if they do,they think it is not a problem. need to end racism,class elitism,imperialism.But it will make it possi- Masses of people think that feminism is always and only about ble for us to be fully self-actualized females and males able to create women seeking to be equal to men.And a huge majority of these beloved community,to live together,realizing our dreams of freedom folks think feminism is anti-male.Their misunderstanding of femi- and justice,living the truth that we are all "created equal."Come nist politics reflects the reality that most folks learn about feminism closer.See how feminism can touch and change your life and all our from patriarchal mass media.The feminism they hear about the lives.Come closer and know firsthand what feminist movement is all most is portrayed by women who are primarily committed to gender about.Come closer and you will see:feminism is for everybody. equality-equal pay for equal work,and sometimes women and 1x FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYBODY about feminism, that this book would be just another passionate voice speaking out on behalf of feminist politics. There should be bill￾boards; ads in magazines; ads on buses, subways, trains; television commercials spreading the word, letting the world know more about feminism. We are not there yet. But this is what we must do to share feminism, to let the movement into everyone's mind and heart. Feminist change has already touched all our lives in a positive way. And yet we lose sight of the positive when all we hear about femi￾nism is negative. When I began to resist male domination, to rebel against patri￾archal thinking (and to oppose the strongest patriarchal voice in my life - my mother's voice), I was still a teenager, suicidal, depressed, uncertain about how I would find meaning in my life and a place for myself. I needed feminism to give me a foundation of equality and justice to stand on. Mama has come around to feminist thinking. She sees me and all her daughters (we are six) living better lives because of feminist politics. She sees the promise and hope in feminist move￾ment. It is that promise and hope that I want to share with you in this book, with everybody. Imagine living in a world where there is no domination, where females and males are not alike or even always equal, but where a vi￾sion of mutuality is the ethos shaping our interaction. Imagine living in a world where we can all be who we are, a world of peace and pos￾sibility. Feminist revolution alone will not create such a world; we need to end racism, class elitism, imperialism. But it will make it possi￾ble for us to be fully self-actualized females and males able to create beloved community, to live together, realizing our dreams of freedom and justice, living the truth that we are all "created equal." Come closer. See how feminism can touch and change your life and all our lives. Come closer and know firsthand what feminist movement is all about. Come closer and you will see: feminism is for everybody. 1 FEMINIST POLITICS Where We Stand Simply put, feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploita￾tion, and oppression. This was a definition of feminism I offered in Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center more than 10 years ago. It was my hope at the time that it would become a common definition everyone would use. I liked this definition because it did not imply that men were the enemy. By naming sexism as the problem it went directly to the heart of the matter. Practically, it is a definition which implies that all sexist thinking and action is the problem, whether those who perpetuate it are female or male, child or adult. It is also broad enough to include an understanding of systemic institutional￾ized sexism. As a definition it is open-ended. To understand femi￾nism it implies one has to necessarily understand sexism. As all advocates of feminist politics know, most people do not understand sexism, or if they do, they think it is not a problem. Masses of people think that feminism is always and only about women seeking to be equal to men. And a huge majority of these folks think feminism is anti-male. Their misunderstanding of femi￾nist politics reflects the reality that most folks learn about feminism from patriarchal mass media. The feminism they hear about the most is portrayed by women who are primarily committed to gender equality - equal pay for equal work, and sometimes women and 1